Joined: Apr 17, 2005 Posts: 891 Location: New Hampshire
Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2016 12:22 pm Post subject:
Welcome. I live in Hillsborough so I am not far from you. I have a 24volt generator for sale. Let me know if you are interested. Also you should consider joining the MVMVC you can find information at www.mvmvc.org
Welcome. I live in Hillsborough so I am not far from you. I have a 24volt generator for sale. Let me know if you are interested. Also you should consider joining the MVMVC you can find information at www.mvmvc.org
PM sent. Glad to see so many in New England in general and New Hampshire specifically. _________________ Tundra (really my name, not my truck)
I haven't made much time to work on the M38A1 (been wheeling during the warm weather and too cold to work on the M38A1 in the winter), but I'm in the middle of a project to insulate and heat the shed where the M38A1 is stored, so hopefully I'll be able to make time this winter to work on it. _________________ Tundra (really my name, not my truck)
I got the body back together (no progress on body work - just assembled so it looks to the casual eye like a vehicle, not a pile of parts), and found lots of broken off bolts still left in their thread plates or nuts. Got it registered (I wanted to do this before I invested more money in restoration in case the state had some reason they would make it impossible to do). Got the body back off, pulled the head off the block and was able to make out the engine serial number - unfortunately it's not original, looks like a civilian Jeep: 4J251924 (the final 4 is difficult to make out, could be another number or could be just a scratch). On the front of the block just below where the serial number is, on the face where the water pump mounts there is another number stamped, upside down... 36322 _________________ Tundra (really my name, not my truck)
Cylinder #1 has two cracks that look pretty impressive to me - the other 3 cylinders have some kind of oil in them (I'm wondering if someone put it in to preserve them).
_________________ Tundra (really my name, not my truck)
I found another F134. Installed and did a compression test. Showing 140-150psi on all 4 cylinders, so I'm pretty excited about that. My plan at this point is to get it going as 12v without the waterproofing bits (because I've got most of this already) and then converting to 24v and full deep fording configuration (I have some of the 24v parts but need to refurbish them - I think this will be easier with a known working engine) _________________ Tundra (really my name, not my truck)
I've got the second engine able to start. I've been assembling 24V parts, but unable to test them for functionality - and given the cost I'm getting them slowly. For now, I've wired it up as 12V so I can make use of the parts I have on hand and have the availability of local cheap parts so I'm not stalled at every stop.
I don't have radiator plumbed in or coolant in the engine yet or fan belt installed, but was too excited about the possibility of starting to wait.
Video of second start (nobody around to video on first attempt batch of testing).
After the first round, I pulled the gas siphon line out of the gas can and let the carb and pump run dry (not completely sure why) - so this video includes priming. After I got it to run I was able to restart from just the starter button - no starter fluid involved. The 12V starter I have doesn't always engage - you can hear it freewheel a few times.
Next step I'm going to get the cooling setup - first run I plan to do with plain tapwater. As I understand it, if there is an internal leak anywhere, water mixed in with oil is safer on the bearings etc than antifreeze.
This is my first attempt at doing any tinkering with an engine, so if I'm doing something horribly wrong from ignorance or inexperience, I'd love to know. _________________ Tundra (really my name, not my truck)
I did a test run with plain water and found that I didn't have the thermostat housing bolted down correctly as there is a washer on the head bolt that goes through the oil filter bracket that interfered. Looking at the TM it looks like there should be no washer on that spot. Fixed that up.
I've got about 15 or 20! minutes of total run time on the new plugs and they are carbon fouled already - I'm thinking my mix is very fuel rich. I also noticed the exhaust pipe after the cast iron exhaust manifold is starting to glow before I get coolant temp above 160 - due to the glow, I shut it down at that point. I'm guessing there is still fuel combustion happening during the exhaust stroke. _________________ Tundra (really my name, not my truck)
I swapped from Carter YF to Carter YS950 carb and that cleared up the rich fuel mix. I will probably rebuild the YF just to have it as a spare, even though it doesn't match my long term goal of submersible operation.
Intake valve clearance was very high (all of them were in the range between 3/32" and 1/8") - tightened them down.
Got the timing in the vicinity of the 5 degrees before top dead center mark on the crankshaft pulley.
Got the dwell angle to 40 degrees (couldn't get it higher than this). The distributor I currently have on is not the correct 24V waterproof one, but I'm making do with it for now.
Once it warms up, with my adjustments I've got it idling at around 650-700rpm.
One problem I'm still having is that when running a vacuum gauge on the intake manifold and air crossover tube from the cleaner completely off the carb (right at the spot where PCV line would normally enter under the carb) at idle I have a 1-2" of mercury flutter in the needle (in the vicinity of 22-23"). When running at 1500rpm for a period of time, it's down to about 1/4-1/2" of flutter around 22", and at 2200rpm it's similar flutter at around 21" of mercury.
I don't know if it's related or not, but I also believe I'm still hearing a tick-tick of the valve - I have to take the valve cover off and check to see if it's gone out of adjustment again. _________________ Tundra (really my name, not my truck)
I've done a huge amount of work since last update. In "these uncertain times" I'm working from home and not going out much on the weekends, so this project has gotten a lot of attention. Just this week I got it running with 24v system. I had been running with 12v just because it was cheap to get going that way, but I finally wanted to move forward with the 24v setup. I did use the M151 'swiss' style hall-effect pointless plate for the distributor. With a digital VOM I'm seeing voltages in the range of 27-33v, which I understand to be a healthy range; and definitely a sign that both the generator and voltage regulator are working to some degree. It also starts easier than it did when I was running the 12v setup, even though the 24v starter feels like it turns over slower than the 12v starter did.
I still haven't mastered getting Douglas connectors mated up.
I still have a lot yet to go - driveshafts, entire brake system, lights, gas tank, windshield. _________________ Tundra (really my name, not my truck)
It's been a long time since I did an update here, but yesterday I got it to drive under it's own power for the first time. The records from previous owner are incomplete, but I believe the last time it moved under it's own power was likely in the 1990's.
Short YouTube video of first pulling it out of the shop and a spin around the yard (clutch was a little stuck from sitting for about two years, that's what the discussion was at the start)
Joined: Jul 18, 2008 Posts: 647 Location: Melrose, MA and Santa Fe, NM
Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2022 7:04 am Post subject:
Yesterday was a perfect day to get out and drive a jeep! I almost got my 1942 GPW out - but got tied up with work and Army stuff. Next, my '52 M38 out at the family house when I get there..... Congratulations! Sounds great! _________________ North Shore, MA
Santa Fe, NM
1942 GPW
1952 M38
1964 Apollo 5000 GT
All times are GMT - 6 Hours Goto page Previous1, 2, 3Next
Page 2 of 3
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Forum FAQ
Search
Usergroups
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
